Railway-switch mechanism



C. G. McCAULLEY.

RAILWAY SWITCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATIQN FILED JUNE 2. 1922.

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INVENTOR cimfimawmzz I V BYCLZ'KZ N- v. ATTORNEY Fatented 5, 1922. I

stares it"? f" with RAILWAY-SVIITCT-I Mechanism.

Application filed June 2,

To aJZ 107mmc't may conccm:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES G. McCAUL- Lnv, a. citizen of the United States," residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and Mate of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-S *itch hiiechanisin, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway switch mechanisms, and particularly to adjustable devices used in connection with power-operated switches for permitting relative motion between the switch operating rod. and the head rod connecting the two movable rails of the switch.

I will describe one form of mechanism embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is a plan view showing a railway switch having applied thereto oneform ofadjustable device B embodying; my invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing in frontelevation the adjustable device B of Fig". 1. Fig. .3 is an end view, partly sectioned, of the adjustable device B shown in Fig. 2. Fig. l is a front view of the bracket member 6 forming; part of the adjustable device B. F 5 is a bottom view of member 6, the right-hand portion of-this view being sectioned on the line VV of Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the bracket member 6 taken on the line VL VI of Fig. 4-. Fi 7' is a view showing; in front elevation an adjust able sleeve 13 formingpart of the device B. Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the sleeve 13, and Fig. 9 is an end view of the same sleeve.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference character A. designates a railway switch comprising as usual two stock rails 4: and 4, and two movable railsQ and 2, themovable rails being connected by ahead rod 3. The reference character 5 designates an operat inc rod which is adjustably connected with the head rod 3 by a device B embodyingmy invention.

Referring now to F igs. 2 and 3, the ad justable device B comprises a bracket 6 which is attached to the head rod 3 by means of four bolts 7. As here shown, this bracket is insulated from the head rod by two fibre plates 8 and 9, and also by a fibre bushing l0 surrounding eachbolt 7 The fibre plate.

1922. Serial E0. 565,393.

apart as clearly shown in i 2 and l.

The surface of each ear con outing the operating rod 53 is recessed at 12, as best shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, and the recessed portion is provided with two overl lips .12, 12, the recess and lips together constituting a guide which begins at the outer end of the ear and terminates in a rounded abutment 12 asbest shown in Fig. 4.-.

Mounted on the operating rod 5 are two 'adjustaliile sleeves 13, 13, each of wiich is constructed'as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. Referring to these views, it will be seen that each sleeve is provided with a cored hole 13, which is of such size that the sleeve will slide freely on the operating rod The bottom of the sleeve is provided with two flanges 13', 13 which are so spaced and are of such size as to slide freely in the guide 12 of the ear 6. The flanges 13 begin at one end 'ofthe sleeve, and as clearly shown in Fig. 8, they are rounded at the other endto form an abutment 18 designated to co-operate with'the abutment l2" in each of the ears 6 Suitable means are provided for locking each sleeve 13 in adjusted position. on the operating rod 5. As shown in Fig. 2 his is accomplished by threading'the operating rod at 16, and providing a nut 14- at one end of each sleeve and two similar :nuts 15 and l5 ,operating rod 5 is usually considerably greater than the throw of the head rod 2), and the'purpose of my invention is to provide a novel and improved means for absorbing the lost motion of the operating rod in such manner that the movements of the head rod willoccur during any desired part rails oi the switch A. During the movement of the operating rod the r hand sleeve 13 will, of course, move aii'ay from the abutment 12'" in the right-hand (5, so that when the la h-hand movement rod es place no mo z.-

s d rod 3 w "-nand sleeve 13 returns to such p sition es the abutment E2 in the ri ht-hand ear 6.

To adjust either sleeve 13011 the operating rod it is only necessary to slack oil" I die nuts 15 and 15, turn nut 14 torward back according to the direction ct adjustment desired, and again tighten up theftwo nuts 15 and 15.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of mechanism embod ing my invention, it is understood tl it various changes and modifications may made therein within the scope of the a pended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. ln railway switch mechanism comprising switch rails, a head rod connecting said rails and an operating rod for moving the switch, the combination with the foregoing instrum-entalities of a bracket attached to the head rod and provided with two spaced ears disposed in tandem relation along side the operating rod, a guide on each ear formed by arecess and two overhanging lips, said guide beginning at the outer end of the ear and terminating in an abutment near the inner end, two sleeves adjustably mounted. on said operating rod, one for each ear, and each having flanges co-operating with said guide in the ear and an abutment co-operating with the abutment in the ear, and means for locking said sleeves in adjusted positions on said operating rod.

2. In railway switch mechanism comprisingswiteh rails, a head rod connecting said rails and an operating rod for moving the switch, the combination with the foregoing instrumentalities of a bracket attached to said head rod and provided with two spaced ears located in tandem relation alongside.

said operating rod and each having an abutment, two sleeves adjustably mounted on said operating rod, one for each ear, and each provided with an abutment cooperating with the abutment on the associated ear, and means for locking said sleeves in adjustedpositions on said operating rod.

3. In railway switch mechanism. comprising switch rails, a head rod connecting said rails and an operating rod for moving the switch, the combination with the foregoing instrumentalities of a bracket attached to said head rod and provided with two spaced ears located in tandem alongside the operating rod, two sleeves one ror each ear and each adjustably mounted on said operating rod, means for limiting the movement of each sleeve with relation to the associated ear, and means for locking each sleeve in adjusted position on the operating rod.

4:. In railway switch'mechanism comprising s vitch rails, a head rod connecting said rails and an operating rod tor moving the switch, the combination with the "foregoing instrumentalities of a bracket attached to said head rod and provided with two spaced ears located in tandem alongside the operating rod, two sleeves one for each ear and each adjustably mounted on said operating rod, means for limiting the movement of each sleeve with relation to the associated means for limiting the movement of each sleeve with relation to the associated ear, means for constraining said sleeves to move in a fixed path with relation to said bracket, and means "for locking said sleeves in adjusted positions on said ope ating rod.

6. In railway switch mechanism comprising switch rails, a head rod connecting said rails and'an operating rod for moving the switch, the combination with the foregoing instrumentalities of a bracket attached to one of said rods and provided with two spaced ears located in tandem relation alongside the other rod, an abutment on each. ear, two sleeves adjustably mounted on the said other rod and co-operating with said two'abutments respectively, and means ror locking said sleeves in adjusted positions on the rod on which they are mounted. I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES a. MOCAULLEY. 

